Jalen Ramsey had his Miami teammates — even highlight-machine Tyreek Hill — in awe with his game-sealing interception Sunday.
Ramsey jumped with both arms stretched over his body and came down in the end zone with an interception of Aidan O’Connell with 22 seconds left, helping the Dolphins stifle the Las Vegas Raiders’ fourth-quarter comeback and overcome three turnovers for a 20-13 win.
“He’s the best corner in the league, man,” Hill said. “The way he laid out for that last pass just goes to show how much he cares about this team. A lot of guys, they’ll knock it down, they’ll say, ‘Ah, I could land weird.’ The way he just laid out for his team just really shows how he cares about his brothers.”
Ramsey also intercepted the Raiders rookie quarterback earlier in the game. He has three takeaways in three games with Miami after missing the first seven with a knee injury.
“I do feel great, I’ve put in a lot of hard work,” Ramsey said. “At the same time, the only way to get ready for football and be really in football shape and feel like the guy that I am is to play more football, and this is only my third game. Techinically, I’m just now in my training camp, preseason, really.”
Tua Tagovailoa was 28 of 39 with 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for Miami. He also lost his third fumble of the season on a scramble on the Dolphins’ opening drive. Hill caught his league-leading eighth touchdown of the season and had 146 yards on 10 catches.
Salvon Ahmed caught Tagovailoa’s other touchdown, an 11-yard score in the second quarter.
O’Connell, who finished 24 of 41 with 271 yards and three interceptions, also threw a pick on Las Vegas’ penultimate drive.
With his team down 7, O’Connell dropped back to pass on fourth down at Miami’s 38 when defensive tackle Christian Wilkins wrapped him up. O’Connell tried to force up a pass, and Jaelan Phillips came up with the ball for his first career interception.
“I’m learning how hard the NFL is and how hard it is to win,” O’Connell said. “Kudos to our defense. They played so well in the second half. Kept us in the game. It comes down to our offense. Be better all around, and it starts with me.”
With 10:55 left, the Raiders got the ball at the 50 after a Dolphins punt but ended up turning the ball over on downs after a deep pass from O’Connell to Tucker on second-and-17 that was originally ruled a catch was overturned.
Las Vegas (5-6) had a two-game winning streak snapped, and the victory by Miami (7-3) strengthened its hold atop the AFC East.
“The job’s not done,” Tagovailoa said, “there’s nothing accomplished being 7-3.”
On the Raiders’ opening drive, Miami linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel punched the ball out of the hands of rookie tight end Michael Mayer for what was originally called a fumble returned by safety Jevon Holland for a Dolphins touchdown. Officials overturned it to an incomplete pass after a short review, but the play forced a Las Vegas punt.
On the next drive, Luke Masterson jarred the ball loose from Tagovailoa’s grip on a third down scramble deep in Dolphins’ territory. Miami’s defense then held the Raiders to a field goal, which Daniel Carlson nailed from 34 yards for a 3-0 lead.
The sequence repeated itself late in the first half. Dolphins rookie tight end Julian Hill, on just his second catch of the year, fumbled at Miami’s 32, and it was recovered by Divine Deablo. Miami’s defense, which entered allowing fewer than 17 points in two straight outings, held again and forced a 47-yard field goal by Carlson. The Dolphins took a 14-13 lead into the half.
The Raiders had little offense for much of the game outside of Davante Adams, who finished with 82 yards receiving, including a 46-yard touchdown.
The Dolphins finished with 422 yards of offense despite scoring their fewest points at home all year, but they remain undefeated at home this season thanks to a defensive unit that held its opponent scoreless for the second straight game.
“I like when they score 70 a lot more,” said Phillips, who had two sacks, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. “Today we scored 20 and they scored 13 and we won. Our defense had confidence in each other, no matter what the score was, we had the lead and we were going to keep it.”
INJURIES:
Raiders: S Marcus Epps left in the second quarter with a neck injury and did not return.
Dolphins: RB De’Von Achane, who returned after missing the past four games with a knee injury, exited after Miami’s second drive with a knee injury and did not return. … Hill went to the locker room briefly in the second quarter. He looked to be holding his right hand/wrist but only missed one series.
UP NEXT
Raiders: Host the Chiefs next Sunday.
Dolphins: At New York Jets next Friday, the first time the NFL has scheduled a game for the day after Thanksgiving.
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